Numbers 22
1 The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
Then did the sons of Israel break up, —and encamp in the waste plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho.
2 Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
And Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done unto the Amorites;
3 The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
and Moab shrank with great fear from the presence of the people because, many, they were, —and Moab was alarmed at the presence of the sons of Israel.
4 and told the leaders of Midian, “This horde will eat up everything we have, just like an ox eats up grass in the field!” (Balak son of Zippor, was king of Moab at that time.)
So Moab said unto the elders of Midian—Now, shall the gathered host lick up all that are round about us, as the ox doth lick up the verdure of the field. But, Balak son of Zippor, was king unto Moab at that time.
5 He sent messengers to call Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor near the Euphrates River in his own country. “Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt,” Balak said in his message to Balaam. “There are hordes of them and they present a real threat to me.
So he sent messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor which was by the river of the land of the sons of his people to call him, —saying Lo! a people, hath come forth out of Egypt Lo! he hath covered the eye of the land, Yea he, is tarrying over against me.
6 Please come immediately and curse these people for me, because they are stronger than me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack them and drive them out of my country because I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
Now, therefore, do come, I pray thee curse me this people. For stronger, he is than I, If peradventure I prevail, we shall smite him, That I may drive him out of the land, —For I know that, he whom thou dost bless, is to be blessed, And, he whom thou dost curse, is to be cursed.
7 The Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from Balak.
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went their way, with the rewards of divination in their hand, —so they came in unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
8 “Stay the night and I'll let you know the answer the Lord gives me,” Balaam told them. So the Moabite leaders stayed there with Balaam.
And he said unto them—Tarry ye here for the night, and I will bring you back word, as Yahweh shall speak unto me. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
And God came in unto Balaam, —and said, Who are these men with thee?
10 Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
Then said Balaam unto God, —Balak, son of Zippor king of Moab, hath sent unto me:
11 ‘Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt. There are hordes of them. Please come immediately and curse these people for me. Maybe then I'll be able to fight them and drive them out of my country.’”
Lo! the people that hath come forth out of Egypt—he covereth the eye of the land. Now, do come, do revile me him, Peradventure I shall prevail in making war with him, And shall drive him out.
12 But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, —Thou shalt not curse the people, For blessed, he is.
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's messengers, “Go back to where you came from because the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your own land, —For Yahweh hath refused to let me go with you.
14 The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
So the princes of Moab arose, and came in unto Balak, —and said, Balaam refused to come with us.
15 Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
Then added Balak again, —to send princes, more and weightier than these.
16 When they arrived they told Balaam, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please don't let anything stop you from coming to see me,
And they came in unto Balaam, —and said unto him—Thus, said Balak son of Zippor, Do not be withheld, I pray thee from coming unto me:
17 because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these people for me!’”
For I will honour, thee, exceedingly, and all that thou shalt say unto me, will I do. Do come therefore I pray thee oh revile me this people.
18 But Balaam told Balak's officials, “Even if Balak gave me his whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way.
And Balaam responded and said unto the servants of Balak, Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
19 Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
Now, therefore abide here, I pray you even ye, —for the night, —that I may get to know what further Yahweh may be speaking with me.
20 God came to Balaam during the night and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you.”
And God came in unto Balaam, by night, and said unto him—If, to call thee, the men have come in, arise go with them, —But only, the thing that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou do.
21 In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his ass, —and went with the princes of Moab.
22 God's got angry because Balaam had decided to go. The angel of the Lord came and stood in the road to confront him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he was accompanied by his two servants.
Then kindled the anger of God, because he was going, and the messenger of Yahweh stationed himself in the way, to withstand him, —as he was riding upon his ass, his two young men being with him.
23 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword, so it turned from the road and went into a field. So Balaam beat it to make it go back to the road.
And the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, so the ass turned aside out of the road and went into the field, —and Balaam smote the ass, to make her turn back into the road.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
But the messenger of Yahweh took his stand, in a hollow pass of the vineyards, —with a fence on this side, and a fence on that side.
25 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and tried to get past. It pushed up against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. So he beat it again.
And when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she squeezed herself against the wall, and squeezed the foot of Balaam against the wall, —and again he smote her.
26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to get past, either on the right or the left.
And the messenger of Yahweh went on further, and took his stand in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn to the right hand or to the left.
27 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
And, when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she sank down under Balaam, —then was Balaam’s anger kindled, and he smote the ass with the staff.
28 The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
And Yahweh opened the mouth of the ass, —and she said unto Balaam—What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me, these three times?
29 “You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
And Balaam said unto the ass, Surely thou hast been making sport of me, —Would there had been a sword in my hand, for, now, would I have slain thee.
30 But the donkey asked Balaam, “Aren't I the donkey you've ridden all your life right up to today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he admitted.
Then said the ass unto Balaam—Am not I thine own ass on which thou hast ridden all thy life, until this day? Have I, been wont, to do unto thee, thus? And he said, Nay!
31 Then the Lord gave Balaam the ability to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword. Balaam bowed low and fell facedown on the ground.
Then did Yahweh unveil the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road, with his sword drawn in his hand, —so he bent his head and bowed down before him.
32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? Listen, I have come to confront you because you're being obstinate.
And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass, these three times? Lo! I, myself, am come forth to withstand thee, because headlong was thy way before me.
33 The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”
And the ass hath seen me, and hath turned aside at my presence these three times: Unless she had turned aside from my presence, yea now even thee, had I slain, but, her, had I suffered to live.
34 “I have sinned because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll go back home.”
Then said Balaam unto the messenger of Yahweh—I have sinned, for I knew not, that, thou, wast stationed to meet me in the road, —Now, therefore, if it be displeasing in thine eyes, I must get me back again.
35 The angel of the Lord told Balaam, “No, you can go with the men, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak's officials.
And the messenger of Yahweh said unto Balaam—Go with the men: Only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou speak. So Balaam went his way with the princes of Balak.
36 When Balak found out that Balaam was on his way, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the border at the Arnon River, the farthest point of his territory.
And Balak heard that Balaam, was coming, —so he went forth to meet him unto a city of Moab which was upon the boundary of Arnon, which was in the utmost part of the boundary.
37 He said to Balaam, “Didn't you think my call for you to come was urgent? Why didn't you come to me straight away? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?”
And Balak said unto Balaam: Did I not, send, unto thee, to call thee? Wherefore didst thou not come unto me? Am I not in very deed, able to honour thee?
38 “Look, I'm here with you now, aren't I?” Balaam replied. “But do you think I can just say anything? I can only speak the words that God gives me to say.”
And Balaam said unto Balak—Lo! I am come unto thee, Now, can, I, possibly, promise anything? The word that God shall put in my mouth, that, must I speak.
39 So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
So Balaam went with Balak, —and they entered Kiriath-huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
And Balak sacrificed herd and flock, —and sent unto Balaam, and unto the princes that were with him.
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up the high places of Baal, —and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.
